Five Years
by foxtrotsnotepad
Summary: Five years after the war and Sokka has been missing. Suki never came to save him and Toph on the ship. Possible one shot likely not depends on what people think of it. Rating M in just in case.


t's been five years since the end of the Hundred year war. Things were looking up. People of all nations were slowly merging into one united group. Although there were some rebellions caused by different groups, The Water nation and the Earth nation were not excluded by this as they too had extremists who opposed the Fire nation's integration into the world. Aside from the small uprisings that were usually settled within weeks of starting, There was peace. However for Toph, it was a not a happy one at all.

Toph sat on a bench as she was recalling the events since then. Suki had moved on and gotten a new boyfriend. Aang had proposed to Katara and they had gotten married. Hell they even had a kid. Although the 4 of them were traveling together. To Toph, it just wasn't right. Her train of thought was interrupted as Aang and Katara had exited the shop they were currently in and started to walk towards her.

"Done already?" she asked in a sarcastic tone. it had been a good ten minutes since they had went into the store and Toph wasn't the most patient of people.

Katara exhaled slowly as if trying to ignore Toph, "Yeah we got what we needed," Motioning to the large bag that Aang was holding. "Although you don't have to be so rude about it."

Toph laughed "I swear i'm the only girl in this nation that doesn't spend an hour shopping, Isn't that right" she asked almost expecting an answer. but when she beside her there was no one there.

"Ah i did it again." she spoke in a low whisper her head downcast.

"Toph" Aang whispered in her ear as he and Katara brought her into an embrace. Toph wasn't sure how long they stood like that. The rest of the day just kinda went by. She had been quiet all day. In the past that would have been strange but now it was an almost daily occurrence. Whenever someone or something brought up thoughts of "him" she would be like this for the rest of the day. The town that they were headed to was another day or two away. Appa had been away playing with his new girlfriend hemet on one of Aangs trips, apparently he wasn't the last flying bison in the world.

It was turning dark now that the sun had fallen. They decided to put up camp. Toph was sitting down on a rock remembering what happened to "him". She was riddled with guilt. She was quivering and a small tear ran down her cheek and managed to slip into her mouth. The salty taste brought her back to the present. She had went over to a fire that had just been lit. Katara was making food in silence. She sat there until her food was placed in her hands. Aang had went to start eating when the baby started crying.

The baby was named after "him". Katara was tending to the baby when Toph spoke.

"I, uh," She gulped "I have a confession to make."

"What is it?" katara asked in the same tone they had been using earlier that day.

"You guys know, what happened." She was stuttering and breathing hard "But not how it happened." By now she was visibly crying however it was inaudible. Aang tried to approach her but before he could act Toph stopped him.

"You deserve to know. On one of the ships, we fell onto a stand for a Flamebender…" She was sniffling at this point but she still carried on with her explanation. "I fell over the edge but he held me up. A, and then we were surrounded by soldiers… He managed to lift me up. I was on my knees, i could see him." she exclaimed, she took a few seconds to collect herself before she continued, "He told me this was the end." She said in her cracking voice. Katara and Aang were both crying silently as to not interrupt her. "He then pushed me and said one last thing… he said 'you know, Maybe I.' and then he was cut off. Their was this massive burst of heat, and then, and then…" She was crying out loud now. Neither Katara nor Aang could find it in them to comfort her. And the night just passed with that they ate and went to bed.

The next day Started as differently than the rest. Today it wasn't just Toph that was quiet. Normally Aang and Katara were loud in the morning. But today quiet. No loud good morning. No greeting. Today the knew something that the hadn't on the previous days. They knew why Toph had changed since that day. All of them changed and know they knew why. Why Toph had felt Guilty all these years. They knew how "he" went and what Toph had thought she had done. They both knew that she was not to blame for what happened. That's not what "he" would have wanted. He would have wanted Toph and the rest of them to be happy. He would not have regretted his actions. They both knew that but they could do nothing to help their friend. Nothing in the world could help her right now. Nothing.

The first year after "he" went missing Aang, Katara and Toph Were traveling both looking for him and working on the restoration. They followed any rumor that may have been him but that's all they were, just rumors.

It was the next year that Aang and Katara had given up on him, the rumors kept flowing but they had given up on trying. It was evident that the rumors had nothing to do with him. But for Toph even a slim chance was enough for her.

In the third year Toph had just traveled from place to place occasionally following rumors not much happened this year.

It was the fourth year that toph thought she had an actual lead there was a massive uprising and their had been a water tribesman that had been at the center of the peace force. it's said that he was a great boon in the battle. Although she found no trace of him, among the dead of the battle had been Azula. She had caused the uprising and had passed on in the very same one. No one besides the men of the Peace force knew if the tribesman really existed most of them did not believe in him and said that he was just a morale booster. But there were a few men who said they fought alongside of him but they all had some god complex about him and called him a one legged Valkyr. After this toph had nearly given up.

And thats leads to now as she's on the road to a village called tuole. She had recently met Aang and Katara on her way and they had decided to travel with her till they their paths change. Toph had heard a rumor of a swordsman who uses a strange style who lived there and she was wondering if he may have a lead on "him".

They finally reached the small village. They were going to find a inn or some other form of lodging. as they were walking into town, they were coming up on a strange man. He had a strange limp, almost as if he was walking on one leg. Toph felt that he was stepping weird. as he got closer she could hear his ragged breathing. She felt some kind of fear. but at the same time something else she couldn't name. Time felt to slow down as they passed each other. a sweatdrop running down the side of her face.

As the strange man passed her she stopped and turned around. There were kids running around him. She wanted to call out, tell them to get away. but she couldn't and she realized when one of the kids called out for him. The young ones called him " ". It took less then a second for her to run over to him. She stood in front of him and placed her hands on his face. Along his face she could feel scars. One long one across his left eye down to his cheek. and another on his right cheek from the top of his jaw bone to the middle of his cheek. But it was unmistakable She felt a tear roll down her eyes. and she muttered not a word but a name,

"Sokka."


End file.
